This invention relates generally to storage devices and more particularly to pan holders. For traditional pan holders, pans are suspended at a height such that they can be easily removed and attached. At such height the pans are typically too low to walk under. Thus traditional pan holders are usually mounted over a counter or an island. In order to increase the options where a pan holder can be mounted, it is desirable to have the pans suspended high enough to allow persons to walk under them and to have a holding device that can be lowered so that the pans can be easily attached and removed particularly by short persons. For a ceiling height of 8 feet which is typical, it is desirable to suspend pans as near to the ceiling as possible in order to accommodate large pans and yet have head room under the pan holder for tall persons. The holding device should allow the pans to be lowered at least one foot from their high storage position.